I'm new to this whole thing and I'm not sure how to approach the salary issue when employers ask how much you want to get paid or offer you a certain salary. Some information or some tips would be helpful. Thanks guys! 
How do you negotiate salary?
- Thread starter MsKadyB
- Start date
I would do a lot of research on what the position you are looking at pays in YOUR area. I have found the monster.com tools and salary calculators etc. to be pretty worthless. You need to really talk to people in the industry.
Then I would probably look at get somewhere in the middle of the range and start there - depending on your experience etc.
It is tricky because you do not want to price yourself out of their range.
I am sure others will have some better advice.
Then I would probably look at get somewhere in the middle of the range and start there - depending on your experience etc.
It is tricky because you do not want to price yourself out of their range.
I am sure others will have some better advice.
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- 14 April 2002
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As an employer - if they want you bad enough they will pay more then they wanted to - it is human nature.
The key to negotiations is to save the tough stuff for LAST.
1) Lead with the need - make sure you know what the problem is they are hiring for and how you are uniquely qualified to resolve it
2) Build a relationship - ask tons of questions, always take time to meet others in the company, request a lunch with employees, etc.
3) Oversell - tell them of other benefits they get by hiring you
4) Negotiate the easy stuff first: standard vacation, blah blah blah
By this point they have probably fallen in love with you, setup your desk, ordered your computer, told employees you are coming on, and told everyone else the position no longer open.
Then you negotiate salary. Tell them you LOVE this company but you have other more lucrative opportunities and you are trying to justify this position to your wife/dog/etc (never ever be the final decision maker - always have someone you have to clear it by).
Tell them again how you are going to be better, do more, etc then the original position they posted, tell them your minimum salary requirement (which is actually your dream amount) and wait for them to respond. At this point you have the job and can take it at the original offer but 99.99999% they will match or come very close to your dream offer.
Remember though - they have to be hooked on you, you have to have created relationships, you have to have some mystique (what other opportunities? A competitor???), and have to be ready to deliver the goods once you arrive.
Good luck to you!
The key to negotiations is to save the tough stuff for LAST.
1) Lead with the need - make sure you know what the problem is they are hiring for and how you are uniquely qualified to resolve it
2) Build a relationship - ask tons of questions, always take time to meet others in the company, request a lunch with employees, etc.
3) Oversell - tell them of other benefits they get by hiring you
4) Negotiate the easy stuff first: standard vacation, blah blah blah
By this point they have probably fallen in love with you, setup your desk, ordered your computer, told employees you are coming on, and told everyone else the position no longer open.
Then you negotiate salary. Tell them you LOVE this company but you have other more lucrative opportunities and you are trying to justify this position to your wife/dog/etc (never ever be the final decision maker - always have someone you have to clear it by).
Tell them again how you are going to be better, do more, etc then the original position they posted, tell them your minimum salary requirement (which is actually your dream amount) and wait for them to respond. At this point you have the job and can take it at the original offer but 99.99999% they will match or come very close to your dream offer.
Remember though - they have to be hooked on you, you have to have created relationships, you have to have some mystique (what other opportunities? A competitor???), and have to be ready to deliver the goods once you arrive.
Good luck to you!
How do I sound that convincing when I am fresh out of college? 
MsKadyB said:How do I sound that convincing when I am fresh out of college?
If you are fresh out of college, you probably need to start at the bottom and work your way up.
Act as if..
Decide what salary you want. A salary that you WANT and are prepared to walk away if you don't get it. Even if you would accept less you need to set a goal.
Be confident and say what you are looking for. If they say no and offer you a lower range then you have to be prepared and confident enough to tell them that you beleive that's what you are worth and you are not willing to negotiate at their levels.
If you really want the job negotiate some more. But you need to be firm about what you think you're worth, and believe it.
Decide what salary you want. A salary that you WANT and are prepared to walk away if you don't get it. Even if you would accept less you need to set a goal.
Be confident and say what you are looking for. If they say no and offer you a lower range then you have to be prepared and confident enough to tell them that you beleive that's what you are worth and you are not willing to negotiate at their levels.
If you really want the job negotiate some more. But you need to be firm about what you think you're worth, and believe it.
Thanks for the advice.
I have done a lot of negotiating in my life. The key is to never say a figure or a set of needs before the other person does. I can not count the thousands of dollars this method has saved me. I learned how to negotiate from the head of Cornell's Industrial labor relations, collective bargaining department.
Also, and mentioned a bit already, is if you are going to negotiate, always be prepared to walk away and be happy with that decision.
It is one thing to negotiate because you truly believe the value isn't there to begin with, it is another thing to negotiate just because you think can squeeze some more $$$ out of someone. Know the line there and know what you are comfortable with.
Being fresh out of college does not prohibit you from negotiating, hopefully you learned something while you were there and have some value you are bringing to them
That, and the fact that you may have other options you are considering which give you some negotiating power (even if you don't).
However, do not necessarily do a search on salary.com or something similar and negotiate the hell out of someone because they aren't matching comparable salaries in your area. Be aware that employers do have an advantage in this economy and that there are quite likely many candidates that they are considering, don't lose a good opportunity because you decided you just had to have the extra $5K, if ultimately losing the opportunity isn't really worth it to you.
Just my $0.02
It is one thing to negotiate because you truly believe the value isn't there to begin with, it is another thing to negotiate just because you think can squeeze some more $$$ out of someone. Know the line there and know what you are comfortable with.
Being fresh out of college does not prohibit you from negotiating, hopefully you learned something while you were there and have some value you are bringing to them
That, and the fact that you may have other options you are considering which give you some negotiating power (even if you don't).However, do not necessarily do a search on salary.com or something similar and negotiate the hell out of someone because they aren't matching comparable salaries in your area. Be aware that employers do have an advantage in this economy and that there are quite likely many candidates that they are considering, don't lose a good opportunity because you decided you just had to have the extra $5K, if ultimately losing the opportunity isn't really worth it to you.
Just my $0.02
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steveny said:
The problem you run into there is that MsKadyB will very likely encounter listings that state "salary requirement must be stated in first letter" and "resumes submitted without salary requirement will not be considered" and other similar nonsense. Then you don't even get a foot in the door - if you don't state the salary that you want your resume gets discarded and if you do state it you don't have any way of knowing if you are selling yourself too cheap or killing your chances by asking for too much.
I have never been to a job interview or written a resume, so I am new at this too. Sounds like they put you on the spot. Bad position to be in IMO.lemansnsx said:
On the other hand my G/F just got a new job. She applied to several places. One place hired her but did not ask her to sign a contract. After one month one of the other places she applied to called her up and asked if she wanted to work for them. She asked what is the pay. The interviewer's answer was 68% more than my G/F was making at her current job. Guess what my G/F did?
I throw out more resumes that I can count because they include a salary requirement (even on unsolicited resumes) that is way out of line with the profession and the local payscale. As far as I have been concerened, if someone is trying to get an interview without having a clue as to what the "going rate" is then I won't waste my time with them. I never mind that someone is a little higher if they feel they can justify it but most people, no matter how qualified, never get a foot in the door because of the amount they request in a cover letter.
Are you in the IT business? Because in that case I think it would be wise to even accept a modest salary. Get what you can (ok, of course it should not be a "joke" salary but do not negotiate too much). There are so many experienced people out there without a job that getting one out of college is very lucky anyway.
After you have 2-3 years experience (this is the minium now to get a lower key-position) you can work your way up and move to a better work place.
After you have 2-3 years experience (this is the minium now to get a lower key-position) you can work your way up and move to a better work place.
Try to give a salary range if you're asked, that will overlap with the base / market salary for the job.
Also, keep in mind that part of the total compensation is just salary. There are other important benefits that can be negotiated on as well, such as number of vacation days, insurance benefits, company paid expenses - work provided cell phone / PC, flex time for working convenient hours, telecommuting, company provided lunches, etc etc.
If you can negotiate on all aspects of the compensation that will give you more flexibility to get the package that you're looking for.
A good rule to follow for fresh college grads is to look at the job as a stepping stone to additional opportunities. I would look at the job description and responsibilities, as well as opportunity for advancement, and make those the primary decision factors in addition to salary.
Your first job is just that - a stepping stone to better opportunities down the road. The amount of money that you will make will not be that important.
Also, keep in mind that part of the total compensation is just salary. There are other important benefits that can be negotiated on as well, such as number of vacation days, insurance benefits, company paid expenses - work provided cell phone / PC, flex time for working convenient hours, telecommuting, company provided lunches, etc etc.
If you can negotiate on all aspects of the compensation that will give you more flexibility to get the package that you're looking for.
A good rule to follow for fresh college grads is to look at the job as a stepping stone to additional opportunities. I would look at the job description and responsibilities, as well as opportunity for advancement, and make those the primary decision factors in addition to salary.
Your first job is just that - a stepping stone to better opportunities down the road. The amount of money that you will make will not be that important.
The only way to get what you want or need is to know as much or more about the position's worth in the company you are applying and it's competitors than the actual interviewer. Before you get to salary, ask to ride along with a rep or spend some time speaking with an employee of the company that does what you are wanting to do. Ask them what the best/worst case scenario would be. Ask about competition and call them up too. Seek a recruiter who deals in that field. They will know exactly what the income expectations should be in the field you are looking to.
Knowing what they can offer, is as important as anything else because if you price yourself too low, they will assume you lack ambition or drive. If you price yourself too high, they won't waste their time. It's a tricky game that is won by all the prep-work before you even walk into the door.
Knowing what they can offer, is as important as anything else because if you price yourself too low, they will assume you lack ambition or drive. If you price yourself too high, they won't waste their time. It's a tricky game that is won by all the prep-work before you even walk into the door.
I second what others have said: pay more attention to how a first job will further your career rather than the first salary.
A (possibly obvious) comment: in any negotiation, you have an advantage if you're willing/able to walk away from the deal.
A (possibly obvious) comment: in any negotiation, you have an advantage if you're willing/able to walk away from the deal.
lemansnsx said:
That's exactly it. It almost seems like a lose-lose situation when they ask that question. I have no idea how to answer it. I appreciate the help you've all given.
At this point, I'm really more concerned with making enough to be comfortable, not rich, hehe. I know I won't get what I want right off the bat, unless I'm really lucky. I also just want to get some experience under my belt because I've noticed that a Bachelor's degree isn't worth as much if you don't have experience to go with it.
Very wise!
Is it the same on the other side of the Alantic that lately most work offers state a minimum 4-5 years work experience?
I have a couple friends fresh from the University that cannot find job because of this...
Is it the same on the other side of the Alantic that lately most work offers state a minimum 4-5 years work experience?
I have a couple friends fresh from the University that cannot find job because of this...
I would also consider other things besides the salary like the length of commute and any additional cost that might be associated with taking a position there. I know some people who drive two hours a day to work and thats on a good day, I hope there salary compensates for that.
Acura NsX Pilot said:
Are you kidding? They are not going to compensate you for the length of your commute...
If that is an issue, move closer.
NetViper said:
NOoo Im saying this is something you should consider when you consider a salary.
NetViper said:
Not always true: several medium management position (and upper) include a compensation fo distance to workplace.
But I understand what Acura NSX Pilot means: I would also avoid any work position that requires more than 1-1,5h per day total commuting!
This is worth at least a 2k$ per month only in time.
Any suggestions on how to ask if they will pay for grad school? Calvin gave me a few tips, but I'm curious to see how some of you may have gotten your schooling paid for.
MsKadyB said:
Just ask if they have corporate policies on training and education, and if so what are they. Ask then if they usually want people who are going to be with the company long term to go back and earn a graduate degree, and if so is it a requirement for some high positions.
